After the War: The White Wolf of Doranelle (Fenrys Moonbeam)

Chapter 21: The Attack of the Skinwalkers

Nia

Fenrys went with her.

They were already holding hands, and when Nia started plunging towards the river he came with her, wrapping a shield around them as they hit the water.

Rapids instantly started to sweep them down stream, her hand getting lost of Fenrys's as a rock smashed them. It curled back in pain, and her cry just resulted in her taking on water as she went under again.

It had been years since she swam, but instinctively she bobbed her head to the top gasping for air. A quick glance up stream and she saw Fenrys did the same. He managed to grab on to a slick rock, but seeing Nia much further downstream he dove into the water.

The cold water bit at her skin as Nia struggled to keep her head above water, as the rapids tossed her body around and she banged against sharp rocks.

She gasped clinging on a rock to look upstream to see that apparently the skinwalkers had jumped into the river and could swim.

Her grip loosened around the rock and before she could be swept downstream any further, Fenrys was on the other side of the rock grasping her forearm. Soaked head to toe, out of breath as much as she was, Fenrys tried to pull her up.

But a quick glance behind him, and Nia saw a skinwalker. She yanked on him hard and he came tumbling down, right as a skinwalker slashed a claw where he was.

They both went down stream, Fenrys wrapping an arm around her waist, not wanting to lose her.

But the same skinwalker was already upon them.

Fenrys jammed the knife he was holding into its neck. It slumped dead, but before Fenrys could retract the knife, a large rock came out of nowhere and hit his head.

No.

Nia grabbed on to his unconscious body, her magic kicking in as she forced the water around them to keep him afloat.

Deep claws raked herself down Nia's back trying to grab hold of her from the second skinwalker. Her scream was cut off by her head going under again, her legs and knees scraping against the sharp rocks in the raging river. She forced the water to keep Fenrys's body afloat, Nia holding on to it for dear life, forcing the water to keep her head above water as well. She coughed up water as the same skinwalker grabbed the bottom of Nia's leg.

It pulled her away from Fenrys as she screamed again. She tried to kick and thrash it away, but its grip tightened and Nia took in water. Nia sputtered up water at any chance she had as it effortlessly dragged her away.

The skinwalker's other hand went to her thigh, and at her next cry of pain Nia heard something, a neck, snap and felt it's grip loosen on her.

Nia nearly threw up right there as she made her first kill, but her priority was saving Fenrys. The other skinwalker was coming up close behind, but the sky high cliff ledges on either side made it impossible to get out of the water anytime soon.

The skinwalker reached a stitched hand towards her, but Nia only waved her hand again it's neck snapped. Pushing the thought away from what she just did, Nia dove back into the water. Propelling it around her to catch up to Fenrys's unconscious body.

Her body, especially her back, screamed in pain as she finally managed to grab hold of her mate. She used her magic to make sure that his heartbeat and breathing was still steady, and sobbed in relief over his body. But didn't know how or want to risk bringing him to consciousness.

Nia coughed up more water, holding on to Fenrys for dear life even though the rapids slowly started to calm, and turned into a current pushing them down the smooth river. She looked for a way out of the river. But they were stuck for now, with the towering rock cliffs on either side, so Nia kept propelling them through the water.